Vere shrugged off a seemingly misplaced call, attributing it to a simple dialing error. Ignoring whoever might have been trying to reach out, he resumed his slumber. The next morning, Vere woke up early, diving into his emails. Among them was a message from James. "Mr. Wayne, I am sorry to inform you that one of Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez's properties has been sold to the millionaire, Mr. Luke. We won't be reserving it for you due to an important reason, likely one you're already aware of, being Miss Olivia's assistant. You know that in the business world, it's all about give and take."
Vere's brow furrowed as he absorbed the contents of the email. It seemed that a significant property deal had slipped through their grasp. The implications were clear, tying back to Miss Olivia's affairs. In the cutthroat realm of business, it appeared that personal connections often dictated the course of transactions.
He pondered the intricate dance of favors and influence in the corporate landscape, where loyalties and associations held weight as substantial as currency. The news carried an unspoken message, a subtle reminder of the delicate balance between professional commitments and personal obligations in the world they operated in.
Vere was seething with anger over the contents of James's email. His words resonated with his refusal to accept Mr. Perry's offer, which involved partnering in business with Olivia. He sank onto his bed, gazing out of the window in the direction where the sun was rising. "I cannot allow my assets to be reclaimed without Olivia's involvement," Vere murmured to himself.
The proposition from Mr. Perry, entwined with Olivia's affairs, had triggered a chain of events in that Vere found himself entangled in. The thought of his possessions being linked to Olivia's decisions didn't sit well with him. The predicament brought into focus the necessity of disentangling his wealth from Olivia's business involvements.
With a determined expression, Vere recognized the importance of reclaiming control over his assets without Olivia's influence. The sunrise outside seemed to symbolize a new beginning—a fresh start where he could assert his autonomy in the realm of his finances. His decision was clear: to navigate his financial affairs without being entwined with Olivia's business ventures.
At that moment, Vere pondered deeply. Yet, after a few moments, a smile graced his face as he once again devised a way to reclaim his assets without any ensuing problems. "Alright, if you're challenging me, James, then I, Vere, the bold, adept, and astute businessman," he affirmed to himself.
Vere, a man of calculated measures, had an idea. In that instant, he resolved to let James and Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez proceed with the sale of his properties, only to repurchase them from whoever the eventual buyer might be. This strategic move would allow him to regain his assets without compromising his autonomy or integrity.
With a determined and strategic mindset, Vere began charting out his plan, calculating each step with precision. His determination was unwavering to navigate this challenge astutely and reclaim what was rightfully his without being ensnared in the complexities of personal and business connections.
That morning, while having breakfast, Vere received a call from Olivia. Amidst their conversation, Vere brought up the message James had sent. In that dialogue, Olivia expressed concern for Vere. "Don't worry about it, Wayne. I will help you no matter what," reassured Olivia.
Touched by Olivia's compassion, Vere was taken aback. Olivia's empathy led her to make a decision—to temporarily entrust all her businesses to Vere, allowing him to gather capital to start something of his own.
"Are you sure about this, Olivia?" Vere asked, disbelief evident in his tone. "Yes, I am pretty sure," Olivia affirmed.
Vere found it hard to believe that Olivia was willing to place such faith in him. Her trust and support were unexpected but deeply appreciated. With this unexpected turn of events, Vere was both grateful for Olivia's generosity and daunted by the responsibility she was willing to bestow upon him. It was a pivotal moment, presenting him with an opportunity to prove himself and pave a new path in his entrepreneurial journey.
After their conversation, Vere and Olivia bid each other goodbye. "Ok, I got this, Olivia," Vere affirmed to himself. Following breakfast, he hastily dressed to visit the establishments where he had business partnerships with Olivia.
After visiting all the establishments, Vere hurriedly drove back to the mansion. Unexpectedly, he passed by the site of his former company's building and saw on the billboard screen that the building was soon to close. Upon reading and seeing this, Vere had a mixed reaction of sadness and intrigue. He found himself pondering, "Why is it soon to close?"
Curiosity and concern tugged at Vere's thoughts. The unexpected news about the imminent closure of his previous company's building stirred a blend of emotions within him—sorrow at the prospect of closure and the uncertainty of the reasons behind such a decision. This unforeseen sight triggered a series of questions in his mind, prompting him to contemplate the circumstances that led to this unexpected turn of events.
Upon arriving at the mansion, Vere immediately opened his laptop to delve into and understand the details regarding the closure of his former company. At that moment, Vere meticulously read and analyzed every piece of information available about his old company. Understanding that contacting James would be futile, as James had made it clear they wouldn't sell the properties due to Vere's disagreement with Olivia partnering with Mr. Perry, Vere found himself at a crossroads. "What should I do?" he pondered.
"Maybe Ronnie can help me," he mused. At that moment, his thoughts revolved around a situation similar to a past scenario, where James had been the representative handling all his business affairs. The realization that he was in need of someone reliable to assist him, similar to the role James had previously played, began to dawn on him.
Vere felt a sense of urgency and a need for assistance, recognizing that navigating this intricate situation required a trusted confidant or a competent individual to aid him in a manner akin to what James had previously done. The search for someone like Ronnie—someone reliable and capable—became his immediate focus, a quest to find support in a situation where he seemed to be isolated and devoid of options.
"I need a representative," Vere murmured to himself, seated and lost in thought. However, he soon realized that he had lost contact with Ronnie. At that moment, in a rush, Vere powered down his laptop and left the mansion, heading towards the apartment where he had left Ronnie after Ronnie had recovered from rehab. While driving, Vere prayed fervently, "I hope and pray that Ronnie is still there. He is the only person who can help me."
After an hour of driving, Vere finally arrived at the apartment where Ronnie was staying. He stepped out of his car, parked in front of the apartment building, and made his way to the reception desk. Vere spoke to one of the apartment staff, and he couldn't believe what he heard.
"Mr. Wayne, Ronnie is still in the same room," the apartment staff informed Vere. They shared that Ronnie was an incredibly hardworking individual, holding a day job at an office and dedicating several hours at night as a janitor in a hospital. Vere was deeply impressed and couldn't believe that Ronnie, the person he had known, was admired for his diligence and kindness. He was elated to hear the staff's account of Ronnie's admirable character.
Amid their conversation, Vere heard a voice from behind mentioning his name, "Mr. Wayne."
Startled, Vere turned around to find Ronnie standing there, a hint of surprise evident on his face. "Ronnie!" Vere exclaimed, pleasantly taken aback by the unexpected encounter. The sight of his long-lost confidant filled him with a mix of surprise and joy.
At that moment, when Vere turned to face Ronnie, he hugged him, stunned by the stark contrast in Ronnie's appearance from when he last saw him during rehab. Ronnie then invited Vere to his apartment. However, Vere kept his identity hidden due to his altered appearance."Mr. Wayne, thank you so much for saving my life." Ronnie expressed his gratitude.Vere glanced at Ronnie, smiling softly. "It's okay; don't thank me. I owe you a lot."Ronnie was taken aback and confused by Vere's words. "Owe? What do you mean?"Realizing his slip, Vere quickly recovered. "Uhmm, I meant you're welcome. Sorry, I remembered my friend; his name is the same as yours," he explained, smiling warmly at Ronnie."Ah, okay, hahaha," Ronnie chuckled, though a hint of curiosity lingered in his eyes.Despite Vere's attempt to redirect the conversation, Ronnie seemed intrigued by the slip-up. Nevertheless, they shared a light moment, both laughing at the easy camaraderie they shared.Later, as they conversed in Ronn
"You?" Crystal, Ronnie's visitor, exclaimed upon seeing Vere. Vere met her gaze and courteously greeted her, "Good afternoon, ma'am."Ronnie, taken aback by Crystal's arrival and the interaction between her and Vere, introduced them. "Ah, Crystal, this is Mr. Wayne, the one I told you about who saved me."Crystal's voice lowered as she acknowledged Vere, "Hello, Mr. Wayne. Nice to meet you for the second time around."Ronnie, slightly confused by their familiarity, inquired, "Oh, you know each other?"Vere nodded, maintaining his composure. "Yes, we've met before," he confirmed, careful not to reveal too much about their previous encounter.In that moment, despite sensing Crystal's apparent displeasure, Vere knew he had to remain composed, disregarding any impressions she might hold. Unbeknownst to them, the individuals they once knew were now in the presence of Vere, bearing a different face and name, yet still the same person.Vere felt a pang in his heart, realizing the company of
A few had boarded their respective vehicles and left. Vere waited a few minutes before driving towards the mansion. As he entered, he hurried to the CCTV screen to check and see who the visitors outside were. Despite scrutinizing the CCTV footage, the faces of the unfamiliar men didn't ring a bell. Vere was at a loss trying to identify these unexpected visitors loitering outside the mansion's gate.After reviewing the footage, Vere dialed Olivia. During their conversation, he mentioned the visitors, but Olivia denied knowing them, expressing her surprise at their unexpected arrival."Olivia, did you recognize those men in the video that I sent you?" Vere asked, concerned about lacing his voice."No, Mr. Wayne, I have no idea who they are. I wasn't expecting any visitors today or later as I am focusing on my business here in California," Olivia responded, her tone mirroring Vere's unease."This is puzzling. They didn't seem like delivery or service personnel," Vere pondered aloud, his
On that night, Vere drifted off while waiting for Olivia's text. The next morning, he was roused from slumber by the persistent ringing of his cell phone. Rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes, he answered with a hint of grogginess."Hey, Olivia, I was worried about you!" Vere started, concern evident in his voice."I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne, oh, hahaha, Wayne, I mean," Olivia replied, her voice tinged with inebriation."Are you... drunk?" Vere inquired, noting the telltale signs in her speech."Yeah, friends invited me to a birthday party," Olivia explained.Without skipping a beat, Vere dove into the purpose of his call: "I need you to know about Mr. Smith. He's going to sell his company.""Seriously?" Olivia's tone shifted to seriousness."Yes, and that's why I've been trying to reach you," Vere continued. "I've decided to buy his company.""This is the happiest news I've heard from you!" Olivia exclaimed, her enthusiasm apparent. "So, okay, what are you waiting for? Grab it!"Vere felt
But before Vere took any steps outside, he abruptly halted. Hastily, he ascended to the mansion's second floor, entering his room to retrieve the gun. Swiftly returning to the screen where they observed the parked car near the mansion, Vere continued monitoring the situation."Mr. Wayne, hold off on using the gun, especially if you're not sure who these people near the mansion are," Ronnie advised, his tone conveying concern.Vere glanced at Ronnie, acknowledging his words. "Yes, Ronnie. Thank you. I'm just really cautious in these situations, given past experiences," Vere explained, his eyes reflecting a sense of vigilance.Ronnie, understanding Vere's heightened state, nodded in agreement. He empathized with Vere's wariness, comprehending why he was on high alert.As they continued observing the screen, Vere kept a watchful eye on the parked vehicle, his instincts on edge. The uncertainty and the possibility of a threat lingered in the air, intensifying Vere's vigilance and wariness
Vere works as an employee under his boss. He wanted to ask for a pay raise due to the medical bill for his sick Mother. His boss instead humiliates him and mocks him for asking for a pay raise, and instead lowers his salary and threatens to fire him if he does not accept. Due to his Mom being sick, he needed the job and accepted begrudgingly. However, he soon found out that his girlfriend whom he loved dearly was cheating on him with his boss as her sugar daddy. Vere flipped out and tried to attack his boss, only to get thrown out to the streets after getting badly beaten. When he was angry at life for treating him this way, a beautiful lady clad in business dress approached him and told him to marry her. "Who are you? Vere questioned her with his weak voice. Vere gently opened his eyes after hearing a woman's voice say, "Hey, wake up." The world around him was blurry at first, but slowly, his surroundings came into focus. He found himself lying on a park bench, the harsh streetli
That afternoon the two had arrived at the café... As he sipped his coffee and watched the rain patter against the window, Mira arrived, her warm smile putting Vere at ease. "Vere, I've been thinking about our conversation," Mira began. "I understand that your family's financial situation is difficult. I still believe we can help each other, but we should discuss the details and set some ground rules." Vere nodded, grateful for Mira's pragmatism. They spent hours that evening discussing the logistics of their arrangement. They agreed on a clear plan: they would enter a fake marriage for a set period, enough to cover his mother's medical expenses. During this time, they would pool their resources, split the costs, and appear to be a married couple to the outside world. But behind closed doors, they would maintain their individual lives and personal boundaries. In the weeks that followed, Vere and Mira put their plan into motion. They met with a lawyer to ensure all the legalitie
Since that fateful moment, the lives of Vere and Mira had taken divergent paths. Mira's parents continued to oversee their family business, and despite the lingering heartache, they remained resolute in their decision to keep Vere at a distance. For Mira, this meant a constant tug-of-war between the love she held for Vere and her loyalty to her family. Meanwhile, Vere had no choice but to forge his own path forward. The separation had been painful, but he couldn't afford to let it paralyze his life. With determination, he embarked on a challenging journey to find new employment. Months turned into a seemingly endless cycle of job applications, interviews, and rejections. The job market was competitive, and Vere's sense of unease grew with each passing day. But he clung to hope, the same hope that had once rekindled his life when Mira had offered him a lifeline. After many attempts and numerous sleepless nights, Vere's persistence finally bore fruit. He received a job offer from